Heating system analysis

Case Study: Heating circuit overheating

Heating circuit overheating is discussed in the case study, see the figure bellow. On Jan 21, valve position changed to 100 % and remained 100 % for next 8 days. It immediately resulted in increase of supply the water temperature and indication of overheating.

The detected problem was reported to local technicians and they found quickly found the cause. There were problems with heating circuits hydraulic during commissioning. One of three-point valves was switched manually to fully open position when dealing with heating circuits hydraulic. Unfortunately, the local technician forgot to switch valve back to the automatic regime afterwards. Thanks to early detection, problem was quickly resolved and it did not cause any major energy waste or discomfort.

Forgotten manual regimes are one of the most common causes of HVAC system inefficiency. One cannot expect that this human related error could be avoided. However, proper tools can minimize its negative impact.